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Opinion – Words and wordbenders

In the beginning was the word – so says the Bible. Not grammar, not structure – the WORD. And according to this theory we, humans, are its descendents, heirs of its legacy of infinite values.

The meaning of a word can be far above grammar or phrase structure. A language based first on structures and then on meaning is like a body without a soul – maybe perfect in its appearance, but with a hollow existence.

Bearer of immense quantities of energy and power if placed in the correct circumstances and used because of the meanings implied, the word is one of the usually underestimated entities, simply because people, after so many centuries of so-called civilization, have forgotten the original importance of the DNA of language.

Khalil Gibran said that “All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind”. And while quoting him, I remember how sometimes there are things that I personally feel (and I am sure most of you, dear readers, have gone at least once through something like that) but have no words to explain. Words aren’t there not because they don’t exist, but simply because we haven’t remembered them yet from humanity’s entire existence. Yeah, Plato teaching here – “learning is remembering”.

But going back to words.

Whether Darwin was right and we evolved from monkeys, or whether we were “worded” to life, so to speak, we came to be the species that we are today, able to reason and to record our history of reasoning with the help of language. Most people tend to forget about the true value of this part of our existence, but writers and poets shouldn’t. I think it falls into the direct duty of this category of creators to preserve the value of words. They should be among the first lines to fight against the depreciation of language – and implicitly, against the depreciation of our souls.

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6 thoughts on “Opinion – Words and wordbenders”

Great words here Liliana. Without words as we know them now we will go back to just a series of grunts (or not even that, just abbreviations in text messages). That is one of the worst things about the technological age imho. When I send a text message I try to ensure that I punctuate and spell everything correctly. I totally agree with your sentiments in the last sentence.

Nice thought. This is nitpicking, I know, but it’s worth remembering that the Greek word translated as “word” in the Gospel of John is actually “logos,” which means “speech” or “account.” The archaic sense of “word” in English also means “speech,” as opposed to individual words, which, of course, is the only sense we recognize nowadays. Maybe that’s something for your next post…how we forget the meaning of words.

Couldn’t we discuss this for hours! I am addicted to words…even when they try to hide from me. We have to keep the love of the word alive, if we are to continue upon our chosen paths. And even the nitpicking 😉 brought forth yet another avenue of discussion, and such, is the power of words! Well stated…